A Legacy of Hope - Connect Groups
Introduction
Introduction
We have been entrusted with a legacy of hope by all the saints that have gone before us! Not a legacy of fear, or suspicion or bitterness, but one of hope! We are responsible for nurturing a legacy that has sustained, inspired and comforted generations over the centuries.
We begin by reflecting on All Saints Day, exploring the legacy that the Communion of Saints have carried with them and subsequently handed on to us. Over the month we want to ask, what legacies do we rely on and draw strength from? And what legacies will we leave behind? Are we leaving legacies of hope?
Our hope is a rich, transformative thing. Hope is not optimism, or foolhardiness, or cheerfulness, or a denial of reality. Our hope is knowing that the deep love at the heart of the universe — the deep love of God — loves us, and cares for us and considers us all worthy of that love. Life is incredibly hard and complex but we live hopefully in the light of that world-changing love, hoping to do our bit as we can, relying on God and one another.
As we enter a time of turmoil and change in our lives, churches and society — how can we ensure that we hold on to this hope? Our proud inheritance — handmade by God, given to us by Jesus, and instilled more each day through the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit — is an invaluable resource.
We shall end the month with the beautiful legacy of hope spoken from the cross, as Jesus turns to the suffering man in agony next to him and says, ”Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”(see Luke 23:33-43).
SEEDS TO SOW: We are experimenting with adding a new 'Seeds to Sow' phrase at the beginning of each section. These are open-ended and optional and are designed for people wanting to develop their own ideas/resources in response to the material. Perhaps if using this material as a group you could use these prompts to inspire a time of prayer, or drawing, or creative writing? They are intended to be short and sweet, simply a starting off place for you and your imagination, be encouraged to tailor/develop as suits your group.
